Brenn-albertoni



March 3, 1964 I G. BRENN-ALBERTONI 3,123,080

I I HAIR CURLERS Filed March 15, 1961 //V 1 5 70 E N GEM 77f BQE/V/V- 14L BERTON/ 3,123,080 HAIR CURLERS Gemma Brenn-Alhertoni, Saieggi, Bellinzone, Tessin, Switzerland Filed Mar. 13, 1961, Ser. N 95,319 Claims priority, application Switzerland Mar. 14, 1960 (Ilaims. (Cl. 132-40) In general, hair curlers comprise an elongated body on which hair is adapted to be wound, and means adapted to retain the hair wound thereon. In curlers of the best known manufacture, these means are often constituted by an elastic which clamps the rolled layer of hair against the body of the curler.

Other curlers are known of which the body is provided with flexible elements adapted for fixing the hair. In general these flexible elements are constituted by filaments of a fabric, filaments in the form of hooks. These curlers easily maintain the rolled hair thereon by their hooks. However, they have the disadvantage of hooking the hair too strongly and of rendering their removal difficult, whilst even provoking drawing of isolated hair or locks of hair.

The curler according to the invention has for its object to remedy this disadvantage. t is characterised in that at least a portion of these flexible filaments are arched in the form of a jaw of a clamp for retaining, by clamping, a portion at least of the hair wound on the body of the curler.

A number of forms of construction of the curler according to the invention are illustrated diagrammatically and by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the first form of construction of this curler, of which FIG. 2 is an end view.

FIG. 3 is a section to a larger scale, showing the disposition of the flexible elements.

FIG. 4 is a view snnilar to FIG. 3 showing a modified form of construction.

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of another form of construction of the curler.

FIG. 6 is a view in partial plan, to a larger scale, of the outer surface of the curler according to FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view in perspective of a last form of construction.

The curler shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a body 1 of general hollow cylindrical shape, preferably of pressed or moulded plastic material.

The external surface of the body 1 is made bristly by flexible bristles 2 adapted for the fixing of the hair. A portion, or eventually the whole of these bristles are arched in the form of a clamping jaw so as to retain, by clamping, at least a portion of the hair 8 wound around the body 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, preferably the bristles 2 are formed by loops 3, some of which are cut at 4 at their summit. In the form of construction shown in FIG. 3, these loops 3 are formed in a fabric 5 which is wound around the body 1. This band 5 of fabric may be glued, Welded, hooked or sewn to the body 1.

On the band 5 of fabric, the loops 3 are obtained in lines in the course of a sewing operation. The threads forming the loops are constituted of artificial material, such as that sold in commerce under the registered trademark nylon. After weaving, the band 5 is subjected to a fixing treatment either thermal, or chemical, or the two together, ensuring to each loop 3 its definite shape. The fabric 5 being stabilized, all the loops 3, or some only of the loop threads 3, are cut at their summit. The edges of the cut loops 3 are thus distributed in pairs on the surface of the body 1 of the curler, each pair being formed by two sprigs 6 and 7 curved one towards the United States Patent 0 3,l23,h3 Patented Mar. 3, 1954 other towards their free extremity, in such a manner as to form an elementary clamp.

Once that a lock of hair has been rolled around such a curler, the hair engages between the loops 3 and between the sprigs 6 and '7 between which they are clamped. This clamping effect of the sprigs 6 and 7 on a part at least of the hair wound on the curler, assures the maintenance of the whole lock of rolled-up hair.

Preferably, the height e of the loops 3 and sprigs 6 and 7 respectively, is selected between 2 and 5 mm. As regards the lateral distance between one row of loops 3 from the other, this may vary from 2, 3 or more than 3 mm.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the fabric 5 according to which all the loop threads 3 are cut to form independent sprigs 6 and 7. In this example the loop threads are spaced considerably one from the other.

FIG. 5 shows another form of construction of the curler according to which the body 1 of this is formed of alveolar material elastically deformable, for example of rubber-foam (latex form) or of plastic foam. Around this body I of deformable material is wound in a helix, a band of fabric 5 provided with a multitude of flexible bristles for clamping hair. These flexible bristles preferably have the shape and disposition shown in FIG. 4.

In plan view, and in view of the fact that the loops 3 are formed in the course of a weaving operation by disposing supplementary chain-threads around metallic lancets, the loops of the same thread are formed in zig-zag, as shown in FIG. 6.

In the form of construction shown in FIG. 7, the body 1 of the curler, which is of hollow cylindrical shape, is coated with a band 5 of fabric on each of its ends, thus forming two rings 9. A section of band It is disposed substantially along a generating line of the body 1 and connects the two rings 9. The bristles 2 of the band section 10 are utilised for maintaining the lock of hair 8 coiled on the body 1, Whilst the bristles 2 of the rings of the band 9 permit of the fixing of the curler against the head.

The placing in position of the curlers described is effected by simply rolling the lock of hair around the body 1 of the curler and placing the wound curler against the head so that it remains in position, the flexible bristles forming a clamp assuring the maintenance of the rolled lock of hair around the body 1. The removal of this curler is effected simply by unwinding the lock of hair, this operation being eifected without difiiculty by reason of the fact that the hair does not remain hooked in the flexible bristles, but slides easily out of this under the elfect of a week pull.

In another form of construction, the body and the flexible bristles of the curler may be formed in one piece of pressed plastic material.

I claim:

1. A hair curler comprising a cylindrical body and a plurality of pairs of juxtaposed symmetrical hair-engaging self-supporting bristles secured at one of their ends to said body, the bristles of each pair being medially bowed outwardly with respect to each other releasably to embrace and temporarily retain a lock of hair and having opposed plain free ends spaced from each other a distance less than the distance between the opposed medial portions each of said pair of bristles describing a partial elliptical shape with the major axis thereof passing through said body between the secured ends of said pair of bristles on the one hand and passing between the opposed free ends on the other hand, whereby, unobstructed ingress and egress of a lock of hair is permitted between said pairs of bristles with minimal deflection of said bristles.

2. A hair curler according to claim 1, wherein the pairs of bristles are aligned in the direction of their bowed medial portions. 4

3. A hair curler according to claim 1, wherein the juxtaposed pairs of bristles are carried by annuiar strips wound about the end of the body and longitudinal strips disposed between said annular strips.

4. A hair curler according to claim 1, wherein one end of the bristles is secured to a flexible fabric base wound around said body.

5. A hair curler according to claim 4, wherein said body comprises a relatively thick flexible material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS De Mestral Sept. 13, 1955 Otto et a1. July 8, 1958 Weldon June 2, 1959 Basta Feb. 16, 1960 Miller Mar. 28, 1961 Piers Sept. 19, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS France Sept. 21, 1959 France Nov. 7, 1960 

1. A HAIR CURLER COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL BODY AND A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF JUXTAPOSED SYMMETRICAL HAIR-ENGAGING SELF-SUPPORTING BRISTLES SECURED AT ONE OF THEIR ENDS TO SAID BODY, THE BRISTLES OF EACH PAIR BEING MEDIALLY BOWED OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER RELEASABLY TO EMBRACE AND TEMPORARILY RETAIN A LOCK OF HAIR AND HAVING OPPOSED PLAIN FREE ENDS SPACED FROM EACH OTHER A DISTANCE LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE OPPOSED MEDIAL PORTIONS EACH OF SAID PAIR OF BRISTLES DESCRIBING A 